Katrine eBook

its being said there that Frank had asked you to marry
him and that you had refused. Then I remembered
that he told me, three years ago, of loving some one
very greatly. Last night he became delirious,
and in the fever he called your name over and over
again, crying always, ‘Oh, Katrine, forgive!’
And that’s what I’ve come to ask you to
do—­to forgive—­to forgive him
and me for all the wrong I taught him, for the weak
and foolish way I brought him up—­to forgive
and come to him.”

“There is nothing not forgiven,” Katrine
said. “I would give my life to save him,”
and the two clung to each other, weeping, before setting
out, wifehood and motherhood, to battle with death.

Well hidden by the curtains, Nora watched Katrine
enter the carriage after Mrs. Ravenel, realizing,
with more anger than she had ever felt, all that the
going meant. She had hoped that after a few years
of the singing Katrine’s heart would turn to
Dermott, and as she saw her hopes fade away she shook
her head knowingly, with even a touch of vindictive
satisfaction.

“There are two kinds of men,” she reflected,
her eyes on the departing carriage: “the
man who wants a woman to put her head on his shoulder,
and the man who wants to put his head on a woman’s
shoulder. And when a girl’s fool enough
to like the last kind best, she generally pays.”

XXVIII

UNDER THE SOUTHERN PINES ONCE MORE

When Mrs. Ravenel and Katrine entered Frank’s
apartments they found Dr. Johnston by the window of
the sitting-room, and, with no spoken word, Katrine
knew he had been waiting for her to come. His
face bespoke more than professional anxiety; it bore
a look of sorrow and the dread of losing a dear friend.

According Katrine but a scant nod of recognition,
he crossed to the door of the sleeping-room, and,
after looking in, made a gesture, stealthy and cautious,
for Katrine to enter.

The room was dark save for a night light. Frank’s
face was turned toward her, his eyes closed.
One hand, helpless, unutterably appealing, lay outside
the white cover, and at sight of him thus it seemed
her heart would break.

With a swift movement she knelt beside the bed, waiting
to take the poor, tired head upon her breast.
As her eyes grew accustomed to the light, she saw
his lips tremble.

“Dear,” she said.

There was silence, and then: “It is worth
all—­it is worth all—­for this,”
he whispered. “Touch me, Katrine!”

And she laid her cheek on his.

“Katrine?”

“Yes, dear.”

“You will stay? I will try to sleep now
if you will touch me. Katrine, you will not slip
away?”

“I shall stay until you are quite well, beloved.”

At three in the morning he awoke with a shiver.
“Where are you?” he called. “Where
are you, Katrine?”